Static network



R. L. WITZKE STATIC NETWORK Filed April 7, 1951 Aug. 26, 1952 mm um On .TIJ 1 mm. vb

INVENTQR Raymond L.Witzke.

BY W77.

ATTORNEY WITNESSES:

Patented Aug. 26, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I 2,608,679 f I STATIC NETWORK I Raymond L. Witzke, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania v Application April'l, 1951, Serial No. 219,884 I 6 Claims.

This invention relates to. regulating systems and more particularly to regulating systems for maintaining the output voltage of a generator substantially constant.

Regulating systems have been utilized in which means are provided for preventing the field excitation of the generator from being reduced below a predetermined value so that the generator will not fall out of step. However, due to deficiencies in these prior art regulators the value at which the. field excitation could not be further reduced varied depending upon other conditions in the regulating system. This variable value afiected the kind of power factor that could be obtained for the generator since one must be able to reduce the generator field excitation to a low value in order to obtain a power factor that approaches unity or is leading and if the point at which, the field excitation is limited is variable an allowance in the regulator settings must be made for this variation so that the generator can not possibly fall out of step and thus a limitation is placed on the type of power factor obtainable.

An object of this invention is the provision in a regulating system for maintaining the output voltage of a generator substantially constant of means to prevent a reduction of the generator field excitation below a; predetermined value.

Another objectof this'invention is the provision of a regulator, for use .with a generator which will permit the power factor for the generator to be varied over. wide limits whilepreventing the generator field excitation from being reduced below a fixed predetermined minimum value beyond which value the generator will fall out of step. 1 r

A still further object of. this invention is the provision of regulating means-for preventing the field excitation of a generator from being reduced below a predetermined minimum value with variations in generator terminal voltage.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which the single figure of the drawing is a diagrammatic representation of the regulating system embodying the apparatus and circuits of this invention. The regulating system illustrated in conjunction with a generator I comprises a watt network I2, a constant voltage network I4, a voltage reference network I6, a control exciter I8 having a control field winding I9, and a main exciter 20 for the generator I0. As in usual practice the generator II] is disposed to supply line conductors 26, 28, and 30 and comprises a field winding 22 and an armature winding 24.

In order to obtain a signal that is indicative of whether the voltage output of the generator I0 is above or below its regulated value the voltage reference network I6 is provided. The input to the voltage reference network I6 is electrically connected to the line conductors 26 and 28 through a potential transformer 32 having a secondary winding-33 so as to be supplied in accordance with the voltage across these line conductors.

The voltage reference network I6 in the embodiment illustrated comprises a linear impedance circuit 34, and a non-linear impedance circuit 36 connected to be simultaneously energized in accordance with the voltage across the line conductors 26 and 28. As illustrated an insulating transformer 38 is connected in the input circuit of the linear impedance circuit 34. In this embodiment, the linearimpedance element of the linear impedance circuit 34 comprises a capacitor 40 and the non-linear impedance element of the non-linear impedance circuit 36 comprises a saturating reactor 42.

The linear impedance circuit 34 and the nonlinear impedance circuit 36 are electrically connected acrossthe input terminals of dry-type rectifier units 44 and 46, respectively, the output terminals of the rectifier units being connected in series circuit relation with each other. In order to insure that the rectifier voltages remain positive for a predetermined change in the line voltage, a resistance member 48 is associated with the rectifier 44, and a resistance member 50 is associated with the rectifier 46, the resistance members 48-and 5Il-being connected in series circuit relation in the output circuits of the rectifiers. Smoothing reactances 52 and 54 are also connected in series circuit relation in the output circuits of the rectifiers 44 and 46.

In order to control the directional energization of the control field winding I9 of the control exciter I8, the winding I9 is electrically connected at points 56 and 58 to the direct-current series circuit that electrically connects together the output terminals of the rectifiers 44 and 46. When the output voltage of the generator I0 is at its regulated value the points Hand 58 will be at zero potential and when there is an unbalance between the rectifiers 44 and 46 the field winding I9 is energized'in one direction or the other to effect a change in the excitation of the control exciter I8. 1

The control exciter I8 is of the tuned type and comprises the control field winding I9, another control field winding 60, a shunt field winding 62 and adjustable resistance member 64 connected in series circuit relation with the shunt field winding 62, a self-energizing series field winding 66, and an armature winding 68 electrically connected across the series connected shunt field winding 62 and an adjustable resistance member 64. The self-excitedseries field winding 66 provides normal excitation for the control exciter [8 when the output voltage of the generator .10 is .at its regulated value. The function of the control field winding Bil and the adjustable resistance member 64 will be hereinafter described.

The main exciter 20 is provided in order to vary the voltage across the generator field winding 22 and thus maintain the output voltage of the generator l substantially constant. The main exciter comprises a field winding 76 and an armature winding l2 which is electrically connected across the generator field winding .22. A resistance member M is also electrically connected across the generator field winding 22, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described. In order that the main exc'it'er 26 will function according to the output voltage of the control exciter l8, one end of the control winding lifis electrically connected to both the armature winding 12 and the armature winding 68, the other end or H! at a substantially constant value. However, 5

the field excitation of the generator!!! may be driven to such a minimum value due to system conditions that the generator [0 will fall out of step. In order to prevent the fieldeXcitati-on of the generator H) from being driven down below the stable limit at which the generator would fall out of step, the control field winding '50 is provided for the excite! [hand is so connected that the current flow through the control field winding is dependent upon the voltage output from the watt network 12 and the voltage output from the constant voltage network hi.

In order to obtain a direct-current voltage that is a measure 'otthe wa tts output or the generator H), the watt network 2 is provided. The watt network [2 comprises two dry-type rectifier units 16 and I8 and two current transformers and 82 which are associated with the line conductors 2t and 28, respectively.

'In order to obtain a voltage across the input to the rectifier 1-6 that is ameasure of the output voltage of the generator [0, the input terminals of the rectifier l6 are'electrically connected through thepotential transformer 32 to the line conductors 26 and 28.

supplied from a circuit including the series connected secondary winding 33 of transformer 32 and a resistor 84 provided with terminals SI and 83 whereby the voltage impressed across the rectifier 18 is a measure of the sum of the voltage and current outputs of the generator (0. The resistance member 84 is electrically connected across the parallel connected current transformers 8t and 82 to provide a voltage across the resistance member 84 that is a measure of the current output of the generator Ill.

Filter circuits 86 and 88 are electrically connected to the output terminals of the rectifiers 16 and 18, respectively. As illustrated, the filter circuit 86 comprises a smoothing reactor 90 and a capacitor 92. The smoothing reactor 90 and the capacitor 92 are electrically connected in series circuit relation across the output terminals of the rectifier 16 and a load resistor 94 is elec- The input terminals of the rectifier '18 are connected to beacross the output terminals of the rectifier 13.

A load resistor I00 is electrically connected across the capacitor 98. The load resistors 10% and 94 are connected in series circuit relation with the polarities of the voltages impressed thereacross opposed so that the sum of such voltages will be a measure of the difference between the voltage input to the rectifier 18 and the voltage input to the rectifier 16. This direct-current voltage that appears across the series connected load resistors 94 and Hill therefore constitutes a measure of the watt .output of the generator [0.

The voltage that appears across the load resistors 94 and I00 combinedvaries between zero at zero watt output of. the generator 10 to a predetermined maximum voltage at the maximum power output .of the generator 10. Under many operating conditionszitiis necessary that'the generator Ill have sufficient field current to permit sudden increases or watt output due to system disturbances. to that voltage that appears across the resistance members 94 and IN], .a voltage that is of sumcien-t magnitude to obtain a-minimum excitation on the generator 1.6 atzero power output. In this embodiment, the added voltage is obtained from the output of the constant :voltage network Hi. Such added voltage must be constant, otherwise the fluctuations in voltage will affect the current flow through the control of field winding Bil, thus rendering a fluctuating cut-off point below which the field: excitation ofthe generator is is prevented from further "being reduced.

The constant voltage network I4 is electrically connected to the secondary winding 33 of the transformer 3.2 through a potential transformer I62 having a secondary winding I64. The constant voltage network [4 comprises a dry-type rectifier unit 19.6,2-3116Si5l72t1108 member MS, .a'

. saturable reactor l Hlgan'd a filter circuit H2;

The .saturable'reactor 1 l0 ofthenetwork It is electrically. connected across the input terminals to the rectifier" 1185 in order that when the voltage across the;secondary winding I04 of the transforme'r'lllZ increases the saturable'reactortilil will further saturate thus lessening its impedance and increasing the current flow therethrough. This increased current flow through the'saturable reactor 1! l 0 increases the'voltage drop across the resistance member N18 to thus decrease the voltage input to therectifier lllfiand maintain the voltage thereacross substantially constant.

The filter circuit H2 is electrically connecteto the output terminals of the rectifier ItS-and comprises a capacitor H4 and a smoothingreactor Hfi.- As can be seen from the drawing, the smoothing reactor 1 l6 and the capacitor H5 are electrically connected in series" circuit'relation across the output terminals of the rectifier its and a'load resistor l I 8 is electrically connected across the capacitor l M.

In order that the current flow through the control fieldwinding 60 of the control exci'ter It will be dependent on the voltage across the series connected load resistors 94 and IE6 of the watt network 12 and upon the voltage across the load resistor H8 of the constant voltage network It, the load resistors 94, I08 and H 8 are connected in a circuit which extends from one end of the control field winding 60 of the control Therefore, it is necessary to add exciter I8 through conductor I22, the load reslstor I I8, the conductor I20, the load resistor I00, the load resistor 94, a oneway rectifier I24, a slidable contact member I26, and, a portion of the resistance member I4 to the other end of the control field winding 60. 7

Referring to the drawing, in operation there is no fiow of current through the control field winding 60 of the control exoiter I8 unless the field excitation of the generator I0 is reduced below the hereinbefore mentioned stable limit. With no current flow through the control field winding 60, the voltage output of the control exciter I8 and thusthe voltage across the generator field winding 22 is dependent upon the voltage across the control field winding I9 as well as the direction of flow of current therethrough. The direction of current fiow through the control field winding I9 is dependent upon whether the output voltage of the generator I0 is above or below its regulated value.

Assuming that the output voltage, that is the voltage across the line conductors 26 and 28, is above the regulated value, there will be a greater current flow through the rectifier 46 than through the rectifier 44. This will effect a current flow through the control field winding I9 in a direction to produce a flux that opposes that flux produced by the field windings 62 and 66 to thus lower the output voltage of the control exciter I8. A decrease in the output voltage of the control exciter I8 decreases the voltage across the field winding 10 of the main exciter 20 thus decreasing its output voltage as well as the voltage across the field winding 22 to return the output voltage of generator ID to its regulated value.

If, however, the voltage across the line conductors 26 and 28 is below the regulated value, there will be a greater current fiow through the rectifier 44 than'through the rectifier 46 thus effecting a current flow through the field winding I9 of the control exciter I8 in a direction to produce a flux that is additive to that flux produced by the field windings 62 and 66. The current flow through the control field winding I9 in this direction will increase the output of the control exciter I8 as well as the output voltage of the main exciter 26 and thus efiect an increase in the voltage across the field winding 22 to return the output voltage of the generator III to its regulated value.

As long as the field excitation for the generator I0, that is the voltage across the generator field winding 22, does not fall below the stable limit, no current, as was hereinbefore mentioned, will flow through the control field winding 66 of the control exciter I8. However, assuming the filed excitation of the generator I0 tends to fall below the stable limit due to system conditions, the summation of the voltage across the load resistors 94 and I00 of the watt network I2 and the voltage across load resistor II8 of the constant voltage network I4 will be greater in magnitude than that voltage appearing across that portion of the resistance member I4 that is connected in series circuit relation with the slidablecontact member I26 and the control field Winding 60. When this condition exists, current will flow through the control field winding 60. However, it is to be noted that when the voltage across this same portion of the resistance member I4 is greater than the summation of the voltages across the load resistors 94, I00 and H8 no current will flow through the control field winding 6' 60 since such a current flow is prevented by the oneway rectifier I24. 1

When current is flowing through the control field winding 60 of the control exciter It the fiux produced by the control field winding I9 is opposing that fiux produced by the field windings 60 and 62 and the flux produced by the control field winding 60 opposes that flux produced by the control field winding I9 to thus prevent the control fieldwinding I9 from lowering the field excitation of the generator I I1 below the stable limit. As the current flow through the control field winding 60 increases it finally reaches a magnitude equal in magnitude to that flux produced by the current flow through the control field winding IS. The slidable contact member I26 that makes electrical contact with the resistance member I4 can be so adjusted that current continues to flow through the control field winding 60 when the fluxes produced by the control field winding 60 and the control field winding- I 9 are equal in magnitude. Thus the current flow through the control field winding 60 continues to prevent the field excitation of the generator I0 from being reduced below the stable limit. As long as there is a tendency due to system conditions for the field excitation of the gen erator I0 to be reduced below its stable limit, the current flow through the control field winding 63 will prevent this field excitation from being re duced below such a limit.

It is to be understood-that the regulatingsystem embodying the teachings'of' this invention could be utilized on a single-phase system. When. used on a single-phase system only one of the current transformers or 82 would be needed and this transformer would be connected across the resistance member 84. as shown-in the drawing and it would be associated with one of the conductors (not shown) of the single-phasesystem.' Other than these changes the apparatus and circuits would be the same as that shown in the drawing.

Among the advantages of the regulating system embodying the teachings of this invention is the fact that a power factor more closely approaching unity or a leading power factor can be obtained and at the same time safety means are provided for preventing the field excitation of the generator ID from' being reduced below the stable limit so that the machine will not fall out of step.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a regulating system for preventing the field excitation of a generator from being reduced 'below the stable limit, the combination comprising, means for supplying the field excitation of the generator, a measuring network responsive to the output of the generator and disposed to produce a direct-current voltage that is a measure of the power output of the generator, a constant voltage source disposed to produce a substantially constant direct-current voltage, the measuring network and the constant voltage 1. source being connected in circuit relation whereby the voltages therefrom are additive, and circuit means for applying the summation of said direct-current voltages to the field excitation supply means to control the operation thereof to prevent a reduction of the field excitation of the generator below a predetermined value whereby the excitation of the generator will not be reduced below the stable limit.

2. In a regulating system for preventing the field excitation of a generator from being reduced below. the stable: limit, the combination. comprising, means for supplying the. field excitaa tion of. thegenerator, a. watt measuring network responsiveto theoutput of. the generator and dis posed to produce a direct-current voltage that. is a measure of. the watts. output of the. generator, a constant voltage source disposed tov produce a. substantially constant direct-current voltage, the watt. measuring. network and the. constant voltage source being connected in. cir.-' cuitrelation whereby thevoltages therefrom. are additiveand. circuit meansfor applying the sum mation. of said. direct-current voltages to the field excitation supply means to control theop-- eration thereof. to. prevent a reduction of the field.

excitation of the generator below a Dredetere mined. value whereby the. excitationof the gen erator; willnot be reduced below the stable limit.

3. In aregulating system for preventing the.- fieldexcitation of a generator from being reduced below the. stable limit; the combination compris-- ing, meansv for supplying the field. excitation of: the. generator, a watt measuring network responsive to the: power output. of the generator:

and. comprising; two rectifier units, circuit means.

for applying. a voltage: to theinput terminals of.

one of therectifiers. that is a measure of the out-- put voltage of. the generator and. for applying. a. voltage to the input terminals of. the other rectie fier that isa measure: of? the. summation. of the output voltage and output current of the generator, a constant voltage sourcedisposed. to produce a substantially constant direct-current. voltage,.thewatt measuringtnetwork and the con.- stant voltage source. being connected in circuit relation Whereby'the voltagestherefromare additive, and circuit means for'applying'the summation of. said direct-current voltages to the field. excitation supply means to control the operation. thereof to prevent a reduction. of the. field excitation. of the generator below a predetermined. value whereby the excitation of the generator will. not be reduced below the stable limit;

4. In a. regulating" system for preventing the field. excitation of a generator that is disposed to supply three line conductors. from being. reduced. below the stable limit, the. combination comprising, means for supplying the field. excitation. of the generator, two current transformers associated with two of the line conductors, a potential transformer electrically connected across two of the line conductors and having a secondary winding, two rectifier units, a resistance-member. electrically connected across: thetwo current transformers. circuit means-for electrically connecting said. secondary winding across the input terminals to one of the rectifier units and for'electrically connecting said resistance member and said secondary winding in seriescircuit relation across the input terminals to the other rectifierunit so that said. rectifier unit is responsive to a measure of the output voltage. of. the generator and said: other rectifier unit isresponsive to a measure of. the summation of the'output voltage and current of the generator, a constant voltage network disposed to produce a substantially constant direct-current voltage. the rectifier units and the constant voltage: network being connected in circuit relation whereby'the voltages from. the rectifier units are subtractive and. their combined. voltage is additive to the voltage output of the constant voltage network, and other circuit means for applying. the summation of said direct-current voltages td the field excitation supply means to control the operation thereof to a prevent. a reduction. of. the field excitation of the. generator. below a. predetermined. value wherebythe: excitation. of. the. generator. will. not. be re.- ducedbelow the stablezlimit.

5. In a regulating system forpreventing, the field excitation of a generator. that. is disposed to. supply threeline conductors from being, reduced below the stable limit, the combination com. prising. means for. supplyingv the fieldv excitation. of. the. generator, two current transformers as. sociated. with two of. the lineconductors, a po-- tential transformer electrically connected across: two of. theline conductorsandhaving a second? anyv windingtworrectifier. units, .aresistance member electrically connectedv across the twocurrent. transformers, circuit..- means for. electrically con-- necting. said secondary winding across the input terminals to one. of the rectifier um'tsand for connecting said resistance. member. andzsaid secondary winding inseries circuit. relation across the input terminals to the other. rectifier unit so. that said. rectifier unit. is. responsive. to a measure-oft the. output voltage of. the generator and saidother rectifier unit isresponsive to ameasure.

'; of. the summationofthe output voltageandcurrent ofthe.generator,,filter means for filtering theoutput of. said two-rectifiers, a constant voltage;- n-etwork. disposed-to produce. a, substantially con-- stant direct-current voltage, the rectifier units and the constant voltage network being connected. incircuit relationwhereby the'filtered voltages fromthe rectifier units are subtractiveand their combined voltage is additive-to the voltage output. of. the constant. volta e. network, andother circuitmeansfor applying the summationofsaid.

direct-current voltages to the fieldexcitationsup ply means. to control the; operation thereof. to prevent areduction of. thefield excitation of the generator below apredetermined value whereby the excitation. of the generator. will not be re ducedbelow the stable limit.

6.. In. a. regulating system for. a. generator dis posed tosupply a. loadcircuit, the combination comprising, an exciter. for'supplyisg the field excitation. of the generator, a control field winding for the exciter disposed. to be directionally en-- ergized, means responsive. to a change. in conditionof the load circuit supplied by the generator disposed. to control the directional energization of. the control field winding, means for producing a first source of direct-current voltagewhich is a measure ofv the watts output of the generator plus. a substantially constant directv current volt-- age of predetermined magnitude, said last mentioned means comprising two rectifier units and. means for applying. a voltage to one of the rectifier units that is a measure of. the voltage out-- put of the generator and. for applying to theother rectifier unit a voltage that is a measure of. the. sum of the generator output voltage and. output current, means for producing a second source of direct-current voltage which is a measure of the voltage across the field winding of. the generator, the direct-current voltages being of opposite sense, and a second control field winding for the exciter connected to saids'ources of direct-current voltage and disposed to be enersized by the differential thereof only when the first direct-current voltage is in excess of said second direct-current voltage to provide excitation of the exciter to maintain the field excitation of the generator at not less than a predeterminedminimum value.

RAYMOND L. WI'IZKE.

No references cited. 

